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The Curse of Frankenstein

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The creature created by man and forgotten by nature

The Curse of Frankenstein is a 1957 film about a scientist who creates a monster.

Directed by Terence Fisher. Written by Jimmy Sangster, based on the novel by Mary Shelley.
The creature created by man and forgotten by nature!  (taglines)

Baron Frankenstein

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  • My first opinion of Paul was soon confirmed. He turned out to be an admirable tutor. In two years I'd learned all he had to teach, but we went on together... probing into the unknown, investigating, recording, searching... always searching... until gradually the sweep of our research began to assume a single direction... and to this aim we finally turned all our energies. It took us years of unrelenting work to discover what we were seeking. Then, one night... out of sight and sound of the rest of the house... our efforts were rewarded.
  • Let's let our friend here rest in peace... while he can.
  • I've harmed nobody, just robbed a few graves!

Professor Bernstein

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  • Is the world ready for the revelation you scientists make? There's a great difference between knowing a thing is so... and knowing how to use that knowledge for the good of mankind. The trouble with us scientists is... we quickly tire of our discoveries. We hand them over to people who are not ready for them... while we go off again into the darkness of ignorance... searching for other discoveries... which will be mishandled in the same way when the time comes.

Dialogue

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Priest: Perhaps you'd better start from the beginning.
Baron Frankenstein: Where did it all begin? I suppose it was when I was a boy at school. I always had a brilliant intellect. That fool who taught us may have been able to hoodwink the others... but what did he know? He'd been teaching the same rubbish for 30 years... and I don't suppose he'd read a new book for 20 of those. When my mother died, I inherited the Frankenstein fortune. This enabled me to begin the life and work I had always planned for myself.
Paul Krempe: Is this the home of the Frankenstein family?
Young Victor: It is.
Paul Krempe: I'm Paul Krempe. I have an appointment with Baron Frankenstein. You must be Victor. I'm going to be your tutor.
Young Victor: So I understand. But surely it isn't settled yet.
Paul Krempe: I thought this was just an interview to decide...
Young Victor: Whether you were suitable for the position.
Paul Krempe: Yes, but I've had correspondence with the Baron... and he seemed satisfied with my qualifications.
Young Victor: That's right, he did, didn't he?
Paul Krempe: I expect he wanted to see what I look like.
Young Victor: That must have been it.
Paul Krempe: Will you tell your father that I'm here?
Young Victor: My father is dead.
Paul Krempe: That's ridiculous. I had a letter...
Young Victor: He's been dead for 10 years. It was I who advertised for a tutor. It was I who wrote to you.
Paul Krempe: You're the Baron then, are you?
Young Victor: And have been since I was 5 years old.
Paul Krempe: And you want a tutor for your son?
Young Victor: I thought it would save a lot of explanation by letter. A difficult thing at the best of times. I fail to see that the disclosure of the facts can make any difference. You were to be engaged as my tutor, subject to the Baron's approval. You will take up the position. You will be paid as arranged.
Paul Krempe: By whom?
Young Victor: By the Baron. I'm quite rich. Do you still want the position?
Paul Krempe: I should be honored, Herr Baron.
Baron Frankenstein: Forget the whole. Now we must take the parts... limbs, organs, and then we must build.
Paul Krempe: Build what?
Baron Frankenstein: The most complex thing known to man: man himself.
Baron Frankenstein: I told you I was the last state but one: the brain. A brain of superior intellect, a lifetime of knowledge already behind it. Imagine that, Paul. My creature will be born with a lifetime of knowledge!
Paul Krempe: Victor, where will this brain to come from?
Baron Frankenstein: ...I'll get it.
Paul Krempe: I thought I'd find you here.
Baron Frankenstein: That was very intelligent of you. Now that you've found me, what do you want?
Paul Krempe: You killed the old man, didn't you? And now you're mutilating his body.
Baron Frankenstein: Mutilating? I've removed his brain. Mutilating has nothing to do with it.
Paul Krempe: I can't prove you murdered him, but I can stop you using his brain.
Baron Frankenstein: Why? He has no further use for it.
Paul Krempe: Have you ever been in that laboratory of his? No. You cannot possibly conceive the dreadful thing he's proposing to do.
Elizabeth: What are you trying to tell me Paul? That Victor's wicked? Insane?
Paul Krempe: Neither wicked nor insane. He's just so dedicated to his work that he can't see the terrible consequences that could result.
Paul Krempe: This thing must be destroyed before it regains consciousness. Do you hear me, Victor?
Baron Frankenstein: What did you say?
Paul Krempe: You must destroy this thing now.
Baron Frankenstein: Don't you see? I've succeeded!
Paul Krempe: Yes, nearly succeeded in getting yourself killed. Another 10 seconds and you...
Baron Frankenstein: This is my creation.
Paul Krempe: Yes, a criminal lunatic. It tried to kill you...
Baron Frankenstein: That's the brain. When you attacked me, it was damaged. That makes it your fault, Paul. Your fault that it is not what I intended it to be. I can repair the brain. It's what I've done that counts. I've created a being.
Paul Krempe: You promised to destroy it.
Baron Frankenstein: When I've carried out my research.
Paul Krempe: Don't you see you've created a monster?
Baron Frankenstein: That doesn't matter. I shall operate on the brain tomorrow. It shouldn't take long.
Paul Krempe: Is this your creature of superior intellect? Your perfect physical being, this animal! Ask it a question of advanced physics. It's got a brain with a lifetime of knowledge, it should find it simple.
Baron Frankenstein: Shall I tell you something, Paul? There you see the result of your handiwork as much as mine, I gave him life, I put a brain in his head, but I chose a good brain, a brilliant one. It was you who damaged it, you who put a bullet in the wretched thing. This is your fault, Paul! Do you understand that? Your fault.
Paul Krempe: Yes I understand.
Baron Frankenstein: But you won't win, Paul. And shall I tell you why you won't win? Because I shall carry on, if I can't cure it by brain surgery then I'll get another brain, and another, and another!
Paul Krempe: For your sake, and to protect Elizabeth, I've so far kept silent. Now I shall go to the authorities and have them destroy that creature. And see that you pay for these atrocities.
Baron Frankenstein: No!

Taglines

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  • The creature created by man and forgotten by nature!

Cast

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